BOLT FROM BLUE ; 7 dead, around 20 missing as Cloudburst hits Kishtwar Village

M S NAZKI

HT CORRESPONDENT

Jammu, July 28 : A cloudburst hit Honzor area of Dachhan in Kishtwar district last night, leaving seven people dead, 17 others injured while 20 people are still missing, officials said on Wednesday.  

As scale of devastation due to cloud burst unravels in the remote village, Police said that 21 residential houses were damaged, two of the partially, along with 21 cowsheds.

“During the intervening night of 27/28-07-2021, incidents of cloud burst occurred in Honzar Dachhan area of District Kishtwar. On receipt of the information, local Police immediately rushed to the spot and started the rescue operation,” a senior police official Said The personnel of SDRF were also mobilized from Kishtwar to augment the rescue operation team, he said. Further Army soldier also joined the rescue operation. SSP Kishtwar Shafqat Hussain also reached the spot and is leading the rescue operation, the official said.

“Bodies of seven persons have been recovered while 17 persons have been rescued in injured condition so far and five of them are critical,” the official said.   

The persons whose bodies were recovered so far include Saja Begum wife of Ghulam Mohammad , Rakila Begum wife of Zakir Ahmed (Nomad), Ghulam Nabi son of Ghulam Rasool , Abdul Majid son of Nazir Ahmed , Zaytoona Begum wife of Haji Lal Din (Nomad), Touseef Iqbal son of Mohammad Iqbal and Ghulam Mohi-Ud-Din son of Nasarullah.

The critically injured persons who have been shifted to district hospital Kishtwar include Ayaz Ahmed son of Abdul Samad, Rustam Chopan son of Ghulam Chopan , Mohammad Imran son of Abdul Rehman, Wasim Akram son of Bashir Ahmad and Sharifa Begum wife of Abdul Wahid.

Police said that 21 residential houses were damaged, two of the partially, along with 21 cowsheds.

Earlier police had said that six houses and one Ration depot was damaged in the cloudburst.

Meanwhile, police said one COY OF IRP 22 Bn. and SDRF team from Jammu led by DYSP Anuroop Sharma has been deputed for site of cloudburst for rescue operation.

“Moreover, cloud burst & heavy rainfall in Kiyar, Machail-Gulabgarh axis, Jawalapur & Padyarna area have also been reported in which 22 foot bridges, 04 Hotels, 06 Cow Sheds & 04 Water Mills have reportedly been flashed away/damaged,” the officials added.